The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
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Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
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Drury Hotels Provides Update Regarding Third-Party Service Provider Security Incident
Drury Hotels Company | October 2, 2019
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 1, 2019 -- Drury Hotels announced on May 24, 2019 that it was notifying certain guests of a security incident that occurred on the network of a third-party technology service provider. The incident involved information related to transactions made through some third-party online booking websites. Despite the service provider's assurances that the incident only involved transactions sent through the service provider's network between December 29, 2017 and March 13, 2019, the service provider has now informed Drury Hotels that transactions between December 28, 2017 and June 2, 2019 are involved. After the service provider...
Hospitality 3 to Develop Study Hotel at Johns Hopkins Set to Open in 2021
Study Hotels | October 2, 2019
New York, NY – October 2, 2019 – Study Hotels will continue its growth into top-tier university markets with its fourth property, The Study at Johns Hopkins, scheduled to open the third quarter of 2021. The plan for adaptive reuse will completely transform the existing Blackstone Apartments on the corner of 33rd and North Charles Streets. The 115-room hotel will feature reconfigured, deluxe room accommodations and new inspired public spaces filled with an abundance of natural light. Located at the main gate of Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood Campus, and as part of the revitalized Charles Village corridor, guests will feel immer...
Blackstone to Acquire 65% Controlling Interest in Great Wolf Resorts
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. | October 2, 2019
NEW YORK--October 2, 2019 --Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX, an affiliate of Blackstone (NYSE: BX) (“Blackstone”), and affiliates of Centerbridge Partners, L.P. (“Centerbridge”, the existing owner) announced today that Blackstone is acquiring a 65% controlling interest in Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. (“Great Wolf” or the “Company”). Great Wolf is a leading owner and operator of family-oriented entertainment resorts, with 18 resorts around the country. As part of the transaction, Blackstone and Centerbridge will form a new $2.9 billion joint venture to own the Company. Tyler Henritze, Head of US Acquisitions for Blackstone Re...
Radisson Hotel Group Signs Three New Properties in Spain, Portugal and Italy
Radisson Collection | October 2, 2019
Brussels - October 2, 2019 Radisson Hospitality AB, part of Radisson Hotel Group, is proud to be making strong progress with its expansion plan in Southern Europe, with new signings in Spain, Portugal and Italy. The group is adding three new properties to Madrid, Bilbao and Seville. This is in addition to two Radisson RED hotels arriving in the Portuguese cities of Lisbon and Porto – adding more than 560 rooms to the group’s portfolio. Italy also remains a key target market, with Radisson Hotel Group bringing three new properties and 550 rooms to Milan and Rome. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer for...
Georgia Officials Partner With Hotel Industry to Combat Human Trafficking
AHLA | October 2, 2019
ATLANTA, GA (October 2, 2019) – Today, Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, Senator David Perdue, Attorney General Chris Carr, Congressman Doug Collins and Georgia Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones partnered with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association (GHLA) to raise awareness across the state for a unified approach to combatting human trafficking. As part of this effort, they joined the hotel industry for a human trafficking prevention training session, hosted at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta hotel, for hundreds of Atlan...
Global CRM Study Preview: What’s Next for the Future of CRM
Nicki Graham | October 2, 2019
This is the final article in a preview series of H2C’s Global CRM Study, a collaborative report that leverages interviews and a global survey to explore the current state of CRM in the hospitality industry. The importance of a single source of truth as the centerpiece of a profitable customer relationship management strategy is one of the key takeaways from H2C’s Global CRM Study. The vendor-agnostic study combined findings from an online survey of 62 executives of both global and regional hotel chains and interviews with 25 hotel executives and 11 technology providers. In our third (and final) set of takeaways, we focus on ho...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 220: Hotel History: The Heathman Hotel
Stanley Turkel | October 2, 2019
Hotel History: The Heathman Hotel The original Heathman Hotel was built in 1926 one block from the current structure by George Heathman for $1 million. Because of the success of the original hotel, Heathman immediately started construction of a new 10-story concrete structure designed by the architectural firm of DeYoung and Raold. The New Heathman Hotel was designed in the Jacobean Revival style and was Portland’s largest construction project to that date. When it opened, Governor I. L. Patterson and Mayor George Luis Baker made dedication speeches while radio station KOIN featured a live band. The Oregon Journal described the Heathman ...
Putting the Bathroom on the Budget
Larry Mogelonsky | October 2, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) As we enter the traditional budgetary planning period for 2020, it’s all too easy to just go through the motions and tweak what was done last year. However, if there’s one area of guestroom operations where you can make major gains next year, it would be the bathroom. As it’s a highly personal space and thus a very sensitive one, any faults or perceived flaws therein will be emotionally charged and more likely to draw chagrin in online reviews. And if your TripAdvisor game isn’t perfect nowadays then you will have a hard time growing RevPAR over the long-term. While every...
5 Reasons Why Agoda’s Mix and Save Feature Could Be Disastrous for Hotel Operations
HotStats | October 2, 2019
By Laura Resco Online travel agencies are digging their fingers further into the hotel industry. One of the latest disrupting features comes from Booking Holdings-owned Agoda and its Mix and Save option, which it hails as a win for budget-conscious travelers. It could also be a loss for hotel operators. The premise is simple: Customers can split their reservation into multiple bookings, across multiple room types, in order to secure the best overall deal. In other words, a guest can book, for instance, a weeklong stay at a hotel, but move their room once, twice or more to optimize the best rate available. It’s a novel idea to be sure ...
IntercityHotel Welcomes Four New General Managers
IntercityHotel | October 2, 2019
Frankfurt am Main, 02 October 2019 The IntercityHotel Kiel will be managed by Anja Jansen with effect from 1 October 2019. Her previous stations included the Renthof in Kassel. Essen-born Ms. Jansen has also worked for renowned national and international hotels on Mallorca and Cran Canaria as well as in Hamburg and Frankfurt during the course of her career. Ulrike Fröhlich has been appointed new Director of the IntercityHotel Hamburg Hauptbahnhof and will also take up her position on 1 October 2019. Ms. Fröhlich has, in fact, been familiar with her new place of work since 2006. After completing training as a hotel specialist, she wen...
White Lodging’s Deno Yiankes to Retire, Terry Dammeyer to Be Named President and CEO, Investments and Development
White Lodging | October 2, 2019
[caption id="attachment_205936" align="alignright" width="300"] Deno Yiankes[/caption] Merrillville, Indiana (October 2, 2019) – White Lodging today announced that Deno Yiankes will retire from his role as President and CEO, Investments and Development, in January 2020. Simultaneously with Yiankes’ retirement, Terry Dammeyer will assume the President and CEO role for Investments and Development. To support the leadership transition, Yiankes will serve as an advisor to White Lodging and Dammeyer through the end of 2020, and will join the company’s board of directors. “Deno has been a trusted advisor to me and the company for d...
Davidson Hotels & Resorts Appoints Marc Taft as Vice President, F&B Operations
Davidson Hotels & Resorts | October 1, 2019
ATLANTA (October 1, 2019) – Davidson Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation’s premier hospitality management companies and its in-house hotel food and beverage operating division, Davidson Restaurant Group, announce the appointment of Marc Taft as Vice President, F&B Operations. In this role, Taft will be responsible for aligning food and beverage strategy interdepartmentally and working collaboratively with operations in each region to drive profitability. A seasoned chef and hospitality executive with more than 32 years of experience, Taft is a recognized personality, most recently serving as the executive chef and owner of seve...
Groupe ADP, ADIM Paris Île-de-France and Cycas Hospitality to Bring Dual-Branded Marriott to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
Groupe ADP | October 1, 2019
Groupe ADP, as landowner, developer and investor, ADIM Paris Île-de-France (a development real estate subsidiary of VINCI Construction France) as developer and Cycas Hospitality, as hotel operator, have signed agreements for the construction and operation at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport of a dual-branded hotel complex combining Courtyard and Residence Inn, two brands belonging to Marriott International. Designed by award-winning architect Manuelle Gautrand, this hotel complex, expected to be commissioned in January 2022, has a total of 13,500 sq.m and comprises a 223-bed Courtyard by Marriott hotel plus a 100-apartment Residence Inn ap...
TJM Properties Sells Atlantic Club Casino Hotel to Colosseo Atlantic City INC.
TJM Properties | October 1, 2019
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Oct. 1, 2019 -- TJM Properties, a noted Florida real estate firm and hotel management company, has sold the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel to Colosseo Atlantic City INC., a New York City-based investment and construction firm. One of two TJM-owned properties located on Atlantic City's fabled Boardwalk, the 800-room hotel was closed in 2014 by Caesars Entertainment, and subsequently purchased by TJM. The property was owned and developed by Stephen Wynn, the well-known casino operator of such properties as the Mirage and Bellagio in Las Vegas. "We have made every effort to find a buyer who could realize the potential of T...
Marriott International Signs Agreement With Alfardan Group to Bring St. Regis Brand to Oman
Marriott International | October 1, 2019
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Alfardan Group to introduce the iconic St. Regis brand to Oman. Expected to open in 2022, the 271-room St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort is planned to rise on a prime beachfront plot within Oman’s lifestyle and leisure destination, Al Mouj Muscat. The project also includes plans for 170 branded residential units. “The signing of St. Regis in Oman is a natural progression for the brand’s portfolio, as the brand continues to become one of the most recognised and sought-after luxury hotel brands in the region,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President...
Maestro PMS – IDeaS G3 RMS Interface Delivers Marked Increase in Revenue to Hotel Operators
Maestro PMS | October 1, 2019
Maestro Adds to Its Successful IDeaS Integration, 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa Touts Occupancy, ADR Gains with Flawless Integration October 1, 2019 – Maestro PMS announced it successfully developed and implemented a real-time two-way interface with IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (RMS). Maestro PMS is the preferred cloud and on-premises Property Management System (PMS) hotel software solution for independent hotels, luxury resorts, conference centers, vacation rentals, and multi-property groups. IDeaS, a SAS company, is the world’s leading provider of revenue management software and services. Jack Moyer, Vice President and Gene...
Pantai Inn Partners With HIS to Adopt Latest Advances in Content Casting, Voice Control and Wi-Fi Functionality
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | October 1, 2019
California beachfront property caters to guest demands for online content streaming, voice-activated amenity control and seamless internet connectivity. La Jolla, Calif. — October 1, 2019 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the installation of enhanced Wi-Fi and BeyondTV with voice control abilities at the Pantai Inn. Located on the La Jolla coastline in California and providing its guests with a tranquil blend of Balinese-inspired décor and design, the Pantai Inn can now also ensure its guests find a fast and reliable internet connectio...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Global Food Cost vs Tracking Individual Outlet – Pros and Cons
David Lund | October 1, 2019
What is really important to realize is the food cost calculation in your hotel will always come back to the cost of goods formula. Any attempt to track and individualize the outlet food cost that I have ever seen is a big waste of time. It is a waste of time because it always comes back to the fact that the food cost is calculated by adding the opening inventory to the purchases and then subtracting the closing inventory – as well as any legitimate credits at month end – to calculate the food cost. This is never done in hotels by outlet simply because it is completely inefficient to do so. What I see time and time again is people tryin...
Tourism Tidbits: Crisis Recovery
Dr. Peter Tarlow | October 1, 2019
By Dr. Peter Tarlow The recent devastating hurricane that struck the Bahamas in September is one more example that tourism industry leaders must constantly be mindful of potential crises. From acts of terror and crime to earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis and weather related issues, industry leaders must have plans as to face both natural and man-made crises. Tourism crises come in multiple forms and there is no part of the world that is free from a potential crisis. Often the crises are unexpected. For example, in past years tourism officials worried about not enough tourism. Today in some parts of the world, the tourism industry must...
Blue Water Development Acquires, Begins Renovations on Daytona Beach Hotel
Blue Water Development | October 1, 2019
OCEAN CITY, Md. (October 1, 2019) – Blue Water Development, a real estate developer specializing in commercial and hospitality properties on the East Coast, is proud to announce the acquisition of and start of renovations on the Comfort Inn & Suites, Daytona Beach Oceanfront. Formerly The Mayan Inn, the hotel will reopen in early 2020 following an extensive interior and exterior renovation. This is the company’s first property in Florida and brings its total number of hotels to ten. “We’re very excited to expand the Blue Water family into Florida and bring the Comfort Inn and Suites brand to Daytona Beach,” said Todd Burbage,...
Year of Profit Growth Continues at U.S. Hotels
HotStats | October 1, 2019
Key Takeaways: While a large portion of the global industry is having trouble driving profit, U.S. hotels are hitting a purple patch. U.S. hoteliers are doing a strong job of flexing cost, as expenses, including payroll, continue to rise on a YOY basis. It’s not all peachy. New York, for instance, has had only one month so far this year of YOY profit growth—June, at only 0.6% growth. GOPPAR increased 1.4% year-over year in August, matching RevPAR growth, which also clocked in with a positive 1.4% gain, according to monthly data from HotStats. August continued a streak of GOPPAR growth in 2019, with the only nega...
Conversational Marketing Should Be Part of Every Hotel’s Marketing Plan in 2020.
Lodging Interactive | October 1, 2019
PARSIPPANY, NJ - October 1, 2019 - Lodging Interactive’s Founder and CEO, DJ Vallauri, discusses the importance of conversational marketing and why every hotel should prepare to leverage the new Facebook social media messaging platform in 2020. Much has been said and written about “conversational marketing” and how future marketers will be required to master this consumer engagement technique in order to be successful. Clearly, the hospitality industry is well-positioned to leverage the loyalty-building power of conversational marketing through personal engagement with its guests, pre-arrival, during guest stays and post-checkout. Le...
HSMAI & ZS Release Incentive Plan Research Report
HSMAI | October 1, 2019
(McLean, VA, October 1, 2019) Take a deep dive into the state of hospitality incentives in a new Hotel Management Company Incentive Plan Research Report released by HSMAI and ZS to discover key findings in incentive compensation structure, metrics, revenue, goal attainment, and more. The report is designed to help hospitality leaders make informed decisions to maximize the design and success of incentive plans. The latest research first outlines the framework for sales incentive plan design. The report finds that at its core, a good incentive plan is strategic, motivational, fair, simple, and fiscally responsible. Additionally, incentiv...
Ivonne Prugnaud Joins GuestTek as Managing Director EMEA
GuestTek | October 1, 2019
Assumes Role October 1, 2019 Calgary, Alberta – October 1, 2019 – GuestTek Interactive Entertainment Ltd., the global leader in providing innovative and interactive technology solutions for the hospitality industry, is pleased to announce and welcome Ms. Ivonne Prugnaud as Managing Director, EMEA. Ivonne has gained over 20 years of senior management experience in IPTV and the hospitality industry - most recently as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Anevia. She is widely recognized as a passionate leader in the luxury hospitality space and has a proven track record in empowering geographically dispersed sales teams, managi...
